I am glad that we only got 5 inches here in Coatesville. 45 minutes east got 2 feet!
So my turnout had to change around to deal with the snow, which ruffled Gitta's world a bit but gave me another chance to get her to bond with me and not be so herd bound.
She spent the last several years out with the mare herd where I got her, but she had a lot of handling the year she was inspected. She was not alpha in the mare herd but she was alpha in her age group in the herd. When I take her away from my other horses she gets worried and feels isolated so I spend as much time as I can with her where it is just she and I and it is getting better. She is the last one out in the morning and the last one in at night. I spend time with her doing the natural horsemanship stuff I know, she and I have a little routine now that gets her focused on me and not where the other horses are.
Today the way I had to turnout meant she would be the second horse in. I brought theo in, her pasture buddy and she stood by the gate until I came for her and she took off up the hill to the fence line where the other 2 were. (Looking lovely at the trot and canter I might add!) I called her but she was loathe to leave the other 2 and come down to me. I turned to leave the field and walk into the barn and when she saw me walk away she came flying back down to me stopped and was very still while I put on her halter...progress!! A good scratch, a treat from my pocket and she was tuckd into her stall for the night.
About Me
- Jill Murray
- USDF Region 1, United States
- Rigitta is a 2005 Lipizzan mare,(Pluto II Dixana x Rheia), that I finally found Dec 2010 after a 2 year search for a Lipizzan. Many adventures and new found friends later, Rigitta and I begin our partnership and eventual dressage competitive career. Rigitta has not been started yet so this will all be from scratch just like my 2007 Dutch Warmblood, Cedar(Theo), has been. I am an over 50 Adult Amateur Dressage competitor. I am a supporter of the Nokota Horse and have owned several. ... www.nokotahorse.org ... Amy Dragoo is helping me with my Blog photos. Majority are from her. ... AK Dragoo Photography, LLC ... www.akdragoophoto.com ... You can follow her Blog here: http://akdragoophoto.squarespace.com/view-all-posts/ ... Also a shout out to Sarah Casey and Waltzing Horse Farm Berlin, New York where I got Rigitta ... http://www.waltzinghorsefarm.com/ ... Make sure you click on "older posts" at the bottom of the page to see everything that has been happening since the beginning of the adventure!
